Don’t get too sweaty over the back-of-the-pack promise of “chronicling Batman’s transition from nov­ice crimefighter to The Dark Knight.” The disc-one commentators say explicitly that the six loosely linked stor­ies here do not connect directly to either Batman Begins or The Dark Knight, though they happen in the same universe.

The best thing about that universe is Gotham City, a creepy marvel that invites repeated hits on the pause button to savour the image. This is highly imaginative, top-quality animation done in a different style for each story.

The stories themselves aren’t bad, in particular Crossfire, whose dialogue and imagery quietly emphasize the fascism inherent in hero wor­ship, a trait that plagues former Batman writer/editor Dennis O’Neil and DC comics exec Gregory Novek on their commentary track. They strain mightily to show what an ever-changing and metaphor-rich char­acter Batman is, even though he remains the same monomaniacal moper he’s always been. Honestly, God­zilla carries more metaphorical weight, and James Bond has more character; at least he takes an interest in life.

Even if you’re no fan of the bat, the set is worth renting for the villains doc alone: 35 minutes of detailed insight into the creative think­ing that drives the fashioning of a worthwhile bad guy. They’re talking Batman’s foes, but the lessons apply to every pop culture heavy from Professor Moriarty to Hannibal Lecter.